Come home with me
by codename.penguin
Summary: Just what does Reid do after work?
1. Come home with me

**I should be studying but I'm not. This is a prompt of a thread on the Criminal minds wiki forum. What does Reid's house look like and what does he do in the evening after work? I will make it into 3 or 4 chapters. If you have an idea you would like me to include, please drop me a line.**

Chapter 1-Come home with me

SSA Spencer Reid, groped in his messenger bag for his house keys. It was good to be home, he thought.

After a quick glance around at the neighbor's yards he was relieved to find no newspapers were left uncollected on the stoops, a tell tale sign of something amiss. No lights were turned on in the living rooms either as it was only 5'oclock in the afternoon. However, most everyone would be rolling in soon to begin another evening of traditional suburbia life with homework and meatloaf all under the eye of a flickering television set. Reid didn't linger long with his observation as he quickly ducked into his own house eager to avoid Sally Mocher, the neighbour's teenage daughter. In his opinion, she appeared to have taken an unhealthy interest in him, from the way she deliberately flashed him through her bedroom window last weekend. He would have to deal with that eventually but for now he had bigger problems. He was so focused on avoiding any unpleasant encounters that he had forgotten to do his pre-opening the door ritual.

As he pressed his back against the hard wood, he felt his heart hammering in his chest and a sweat gathered on his brow. A familiar pit of dread coiled sinuously in his stomach as he closed his eyes seeking for the appropriate set of pictures in his mind. For as long as he remembered this had been his way of coping with the unpredictable events of his childhood which included that spectacular day when he had come home to find his spineless father packing his bags. Ever since then, he would close his eyes and summon the best moment of the day and hold it in his mind before he opened his front door. That act had helped him to face whatever was on the other side. Sometimes when he walked inside he had been pleasantly surprised to find his mother making his favourite soup but more times than not, she would be passed out in the same clothes she had on in the morning, buried under her precious books.

As a teenager, he hadn't a lot of experiences to draw on and he usually rehashed the same memory over and over but now that he had his extended BAU family he had his pick of happy memories. Today he could pick from Garcia's awful telephone greeting, lunch with the team, an exciting shouting match with an old professor from Yale and a game of hide and seek with Jack but the memory he chose was one of Jack's father: Aaron Hotchner.

_The genius had chosen to take his morning break in the archives section of the FBI building. This comprised an entire floor, three flights down from the BAU. Now that most records were computerized, hardly anyone came here but for Reid the smell of books, paper and glue binding were as welcoming as a warm bath was to others. This floor had inbuilt nooks with seats, obviously a throw back from the days when this section was a hive of activity. His favourite one faced the east and by this time the enclosure was probably flooded with sunlight. As he hurried forward he had glanced across to wave a greeting to the archivists. They usually smiled back and waved genially, not even blinking when they saw his signature mug of coffee. They knew he was a kindred spirit and his reverence and excitement for books and documents matched theirs. Their library was in safe hands even if one of the hands held potentially dangerous paper staining coffee. Reid paused as he looked in concern at his colleagues huddled together as if in fear. They pointed furtively and shook their heads down one of the corridors. The young genius peered around the bookshelf curiously. SSA Aaron Hotchner was prowling the aisles with the air of a wounded animal. _

_At one time he would have joined the archivists behind the desk or jumped back into the elevator rather than face the grim faced agent. But he couldn't afford to make mistakes like that anymore, not when Elle and Gideon had been here one moment and gone the next._

'_Sir?' he had said in greeting. _

_Reid had tried not to stare as Hotch's red rimmed eyes glared at him for interrupting his prowling. The senior agent had mumbled an excuse and moved to brush pass him but stopped in surprise as Reid had pressed his hand firmly against his chest holding him in place. Hotch could have easily used his strength to push him to one side but he hadn't, secretly impressed by the nerve being showed by their youngest. Reid had taken his arm then and towed him to the reading nook. It had been a bit of a squash as it had only been built for one, but he has insisted that Hotch sit with him. Aaron sat with his arms tightly folded and lips compressed just waiting for his subordinate to ask him what was wrong._

_The inquiry never came. _

_Slowly Hotch began to relax as Reid busied himself with a slim volume of poetry and sipped his coffee. It was much nicer here in the bright sunshine, the older man conceded and his troubling thoughts of his recently deceased ex-wife seemed to evaporate in the sparking rays that shone around them. Reid could feel the tension drain out of his colleague like a deflated old tire and smirked when Hotch stole his cup for a sip of coffee. The older man swallowed the Soy vanilla bean latte and caramel with a choke before he stuffed the mug back into his thin hands. He would have to tell Mr. Calendar that this new coffee sample he had given the agent last night was not going to make the cut. But since everyone knew it was a sin to waste a cup of coffee, he gamely persevered with the too sweet for comfort drink._

_Hotch took the book from him, curious as to what he was reading now._

'_Is that Arabic?' he had asked unsurely, 'I didn't know you read it?'_

_Reid had expected the man to ask him why, or what the book was about etc. etc. but he hadn't thought the man would ask him to read one of the poems to him._

_Well since it was a day for odd occurrences, he did._

_Hotch looked over at the bent head of his agent as his voice changed into the melodious chanting that could only be achieved when reading the divine language. He didn't know what Reid was saying and neither did he care. Hotch had never heard anything so unearthly beautiful in his life. When Reid was finished he looked up and he could see the wonder in the lead agent's eyes. _

Reid held on to that proud and slightly embarrassing moment in his mind and he could feel the tension in his lungs ease as his breathing came back to something more normal. Slowly he opened one eye and then the other, absorbing the mismatched furniture in the living room. As always, everything was as he had left it and his mother was not sprawled on the floor with a forgotten kettle or pot bubbling dangerously on the fire nearby.

Spencer knew that logically, the horrors he saw on a daily basis should have already burned away the trauma he had experienced as a child but who said that fear was logical. As he un looped the messenger bag from his neck, he gently touched the little night lamp that he had left burning in the hallway when he had left for work. Morosely, he looked over the almost empty looking room. Maybe if he had sold his mother's furniture, instead of flying it half way across the country he wouldn't have this problem anymore. Gideon had visited a couple of times to play chess and on one of those occasions he had asked his mentor if he should get rid of the furniture.

Gideon being Gideon of course didn't give him a straight answer. He had said when the time was right he would know the answer to that question. Reid turned away and switched on the kitchen light. The time was not right, just yet.


	2. Come shopping with me

Chapter 2-Come shopping with me

His eyes narrowed on to the date on the little calendar stuck to the refrigerator door with a bunch of grapes fridge magnet. Today, he was supposed to clean the fridge which was one of his monthly chores unlike the dusting and polishing of the furniture. It really wasn't one of his favourite things to do and his eyes skipped over to tomorrow's activity; grocery shopping at the 'Shop and Bag'. Oh wow! Could he rearrange his schedule but no, he remembered rolling his eyes at himself. There was no point in buying anything when he hadn't cleaned the fridge which is why he had arranged it like that in the first place. With an air of resignation he pulled on some rubber gloves.

Grocery shopping was definitely on his top ten things to do after work. Ha, and Morgan thought he didn't like people! He didn't like to talk to people but he loved people watching just fine. Sometimes he wouldn't buy anything more than a bottle of apricot jam and toilet paper as he roamed the aisles. He was fascinated by the things people could say and not say all at the same time, his profiler training dissecting with ease the actions and words of the shoppers around him. For example one time when he was busy memorizing the barcode on a tin of vegetables he overhead a young mother who was criticizing her husband on her cell phone. He was not really eavesdropping because everyone within a five mile radius could hear her. It was amazing the things people would say in public when using these devices. Reid would goggle at the harsh words they would fling at their loved ones as he pushed his shopping cart. Some families could have a complete breakdown when choosing a brand of pizza. Every night, he would sleep in an empty room; didn't they know how lucky they were to have each other? Of course aside from the angst, he would get tickled pick as he smugly watched the clueless men struggle with diaper selection and a dizzying array of female hygiene products. It gave him a perverse sense of pleasure to know that regular guys had their totally klutzy moments too.

Reid shook out the apron Emily had purchased for him which was personalized with the apt words, 'Kiss the genius' and tied it around his neck. Then he proceeded to transfer the loaf of bread, cheese, yogurt and box juices to the counter behind. Inevitably there would also be some take out containers he had never gotten round to finishing and he wisely threw these in the bin without even taking a second look. Armed with a dish of soapy water, he got down on his knees to scrub the shelves.

Most people would have had some music blasting to make light of such a dreary task but not the young man. Sure he had tried every CD that Morgan and Rossi had pressed on him, but none had ever taken his fancy. This art form never moved him like it did other people. As he worked on the dairy compartment, he wondered if this was the reason he couldn't dance. Unlike others he enjoyed the silence. It was a welcome break from the noises at work, not that the BAU was noisy but all the information that marched in his head was. When he added music to the mix the noise would be a migraine inducing cacophony. It was better this way as he tunelessly hummed a lullaby he had heard JJ singing over her stack of files.

Free from any present cases at the moment, his mind drifted back to the dilemma of his mother's furniture. It wasn't exactly true that he had flown all of it to Virginia. Some pieces he had left behind which included his mum's bed and writing desk. He had approached the doctors unsure if it would be a good idea to let her have these things but they had welcomed the idea. Afterwards they called and told him how his mother had hugged the bed posts tenderly and was currently telling anyone who would sit still, how wonderful and thoughtful her boy was. He was glad that she was so happy and it had lessened the sting that he had felt whenever he remembered that look on her face when the sanatorium's handlers had come for her. Not even on the day he died, would he ever forget the decision he had made that warm Tuesday evening.

So he didn't have a bed. Not a problem as he made do with the couch. It was not like he was a great sleeper anyway. However, when he had made the move to the BAU he decided that perhaps he should go out and buy one. They were always ducking into one another's place to pick up a forgotten case file or extra pantyhose. What if someone from the team came over and saw his blankie and lumpy pillow in the living room?

He had gone on the internet and researched his preference carefully. This would seem like overkill but Reid knew himself. He exuded nervous buyer syndrome, and it was a sure bet he would purchase something extra that he had no intention of buying like that mini food processor and waffle maker that were currently staring at him as he wiped down the crisper. Armed with his print outs he had entered the 'Furniture Barn' with extra back up in the form of the newest team member Derek Morgan. It had only taken him a day to realize that Morgan had adopted him as a 'little brother'. All Reid had to do was turn pleading calf eyes up at the dark profiler and the man had immediately cancelled a 'date' to accompany him. Reid had noticed that Derek had a way with people especially ladies and he felt confident that he would walk away with the desired bed and nothing more.

Never again would he take that man shopping. The agent had sided with the pert furniture lady!

'A pretty boy like you, needs a larger bed to entertain' he had said.

It had taken him a full minute to understand what Morgan had been driving at and when he did, he was speechless with horror. He drew the agent aside and furiously waved the printed information under his nose. A single bed would be fine for him, preferably one with drawers underneath so he could store his sock collection! But all Derek did was point and laugh at his new friend's bright red face. Hurricane Morgan swept before all and after a thorough inspection of all the offerings, he had selected a handsome queen's size creation. It was certainly very beautiful, the clean cuts and uncomplicated lines suiting the younger man's taste perfectly. Reid was surprised that the man could have sized him up so correctly as they only known each other for a week.

But Spencer took one look at the price tag and shook his head in some embarrassment. He couldn't afford a piece of furniture like that on top of his large health insurance and his mom's medical bills. He didn't know where to look as Morgan quietly paid for it in full, insisting that Reid could pay him back whenever he could, interest free. As they walked outside to Morgan's vehicle, Reid had stammered and stuttered his thanks all the way to the car park. The older man held his peace until they had been locked securely inside the vehicle. Then the questions started. Was he in any trouble? Was it someone at work? An old marker from Las Vegas? Did he have any debt that he couldn't repay in short was there anyway he, Derek Morgan, could help him out of his current financial crisis. Reid had hurried to assure the man that he wasn't involved in any gambling or any other vice that would make him lose his badge in a heartbeat. But he wasn't quite ready to tell him, that his new friend would most likely end up in a psych ward before he was forty. Spencer had so few friends, certainly no one he could call and ask to go furniture shopping, that he was reluctant to jeopardize that in anyway.

After assuring the concerned man that he would call him first, if he was in any trouble, Morgan had reluctantly let the matter slide. Even when Morgan and the team had become aware of his mother's condition and hence his potential 'life sentence', they had stood bracingly with him, refusing to let him slip into despair. Reid would never sleep in that bed without remembering the warmth, strength and compassion of the friend who had put it there.

Spencer rocked back on his heels and brushed his long hair from out his eyes. The now squeakily clean fridge was ready to receive tomorrow's fresh goods.


	3. Come look in my closet

Chapter 3- Come look in my closet

'Christopher COLOUMBUS!!!' the irate genius yelled as his socks rolled all over the bedroom floor.

He chewed his lip and looked down in dismay. If only he repacked the drawer neatly before dashing out this morning, this wouldn't have happened. By uncharacteristically jamming the freshly laundered socks in the wardrobe, something had caught on the edges. He had pulled sharply to free it and the drawer had flown open, hence the higgley piggley mess all over the floor now.

With a slight groan, he bent to begin retrieving the pieces. His healing leg was beginning to protest all the unusual exertion that it had been subjected to this evening and it was letting itself be heard. He ignored the pain as with some relief, he noticed that the socks had stayed together and had not come undone after their unusual journey through the air. Contrary to popular belief, he did not wear mismatched socks because he was absentminded. Spencer Reid who in addition to being a geek was part of the ten percent of all males that were colorblind in the world. Wasn't life grand?

However, if the socks had come apart from their clips, he was sure that Emily, his secret clothes stylist, would have come over and helped him rematch them. It was actually under her advice that he started laying out clothes the night before instead of randomly grabbing whatever his sleep bleary eyes landed on first.

'Proper preparation prevents poor performance' she had remarked compassionately one day when he had matched a bright purple sweater with a lime green undershirt and brown tie, much to the amusement of the office floor in general.

A hard look directed their way by the formidable Aaron Hotchner was enough to deter anyone from voicing anything out loud that was humiliating, but that didn't stop several anonymous post-its from reaching his desk, full of witty sarcasm and insults. As he crumpled the hateful notes he wondered then if he wasn't an embarrassment to the team and Hotch in particular. The team of course didn't join in the unfriendly banter that was going around the office and Morgan had unwittingly frightened several of his colleagues when they stared too long at the boy's garish attire. It was beyond stupid that such intelligent people that the Bureau employed would judge him by what he wore and not the contents of his mind and his heart. He had so much in him to offer, what did it matter what he wore on the outside? But it wasn't only in the office where he could feel this wave of amused criticism. When he was in the field he knew people made snap judgments about him from his appearance and it hurt. It also was a bit dangerous, as Unsubs usually saw him as the weakest link and went after him first.

Unconsciously his eyes had roamed the office before his gaze settled on Hotch and Emily who were chatting companionably by the water cooler. They always looked professional and the dark colours with the tailored lines were appealing to his eye. Besides which he had overheard several other officers complimenting Emily on her clothing choices, whenever she was free of hovering alpha males of course (read: Dave, Derek and Aaron) He decided then he would ask Emily for help. One, she was a great deal less intimidating to be around that Hotch, two, she was way nicer to look at (No offence sir) and three, refer to points one and two.

He had secretly begun saving some money and when his stash had amounted to a little over four hundred dollars, he had sent his email. It was pointless to say it to her face as he would bungle the request. He could speak with comprehension and intelligence for hours on types of Unsubs but he wasn't any good when he was speaking about personal matters.

Reid crossed his fingers and looked over at his colleague as he heard the little beep signaling that his email had arrived at her system. He was confident that she would agree, after all who wouldn't want help with their paper work? She had scrunched her forehead as she accessed her mail. After a minute, Reid stood up with arms outstretched to receive her case files when Emily turned her back on him.

He sat down with a bump.

Was that a no?

Just then his intranet beeped.

'_One o'clock, Sunday evening. I would be most happy to assist._

_Thank you for asking me,_

_Love Emily_

He had begun counting the days and hours to their little outing and when his doorbell rang he practically ran to the door. Emily was standing there in her casual jeans and flirty top looking like a million dollars. After shaking himself out of his hormone induced stupor, he had moved to lock up when she stopped him, wanting to go inside. They had sat in his living room and talked casually for a few minutes. Well she talked and he nodded nervously as his eyes darted all over the room, seeing for the first time the bare walls, mud brown carpet and empty mantel. Maybe he should really tack up some of his diplomas, just to have something decorative in the room. But the wonderful woman infront of him didn't comment on his house keeping deficiencies, instead she focused on him and talked about the topic at hand: clothes. After ten minutes she knew clearly what he liked, why he wore the things he did, what he didn't like and which people in work had caught in his attention.

When she asked to go to his bedroom next, he had almost swallowed his tongue. As he led the way to his closets, he wandered if he didn't have a tiny crush on his colleague. He had a thing for brunettes, it would seem. She looked over his selections, nodding and pointing at the high quality of the shirts and slacks that he had purchased. She threw away some baggy sweaters and the more colorful pieces but other that she had not indicated that he should make major changes in his wardrobe. He loved wearing clothes that looked old, it was a part of him and she seemed to understand that.

Slowly he had begun to relax, uncrossing his legs from the tight corkscrew he had made as he wrapped his limbs nervously around himself. This was MUCH better than those obnoxious people on TLC! She waved to get his attention as she began a lesson in colour coordination. He admitted then that he was colourblind and she paused to rethink her strategy. Whipping out a permanent marker she began making notations on all the labels. He would just have to trust her judgment and learn by heart what colours went with what. She had seemed startled when he hugged her stating quite firmly that he did trust her. Emily had returned his hug with interest, quite pleased with this show of support when she was still struggling to make headway with the team in general. He had blushed right to the tips of his ears when she kissed him, thanking him softly for his kind words.

After labeling everything by colour she had started the lesson again and he filed away the entire conversation under very important in his mind. She then instructed him on how to match the various pieces according to colour and occasion after which they had hit the mall. She hovered attentively at his shoulder as he spoke with the shop ladies, quietly supplying him with the colours when he was unsure what he was looking at. With growing confidence he chose two more outfits, grinning when she nodded at him.

They finished off the evening by purchasing him a pair of new jeans and a dark jacket, which she insisted that he had to have. He didn't want the jeans, because they always seem to emphasis how skinny he was, but he loved the jacket. He had worn it the next day with his favourite lavender scarf and Morgan had slid off his chair in shock. Even Hotch had frozen in mid sentence staring at his new threads. For the entire day, he had felt stupidly smug as people walked into desks and tripped over chairs as they openly gaped at his new look. But this amount of attention was too much for the shy agent and over the loud protest of JJ and Penelope he had hung up the jacket in his closet for special occasions.

Thanks to Emily's help, he now effortlessly selected his outfit for the next day. In the whole scheme of things, no garment could make him less skinny or scared or anxious but knowing that he looked his best, was a wonderful gift indeed.


	4. Come let's go to dinner

Thanks to all my reviewers especially _dragonflytwin_ and _the vampire act_ for their encouragement. I am in a strangely depressed mood today. I think a nice cheerful review would get me to smile.

Umm…tissue warning ahead.

Chapter 4- Come let's go to dinner

Mr. Calendar, immigrant coffee shop owner, didn't need to look up as his door chimes clinked companionably in a warm greeting. It was six fifteen in the afternoon and only one person came in the door with such astounding punctuality. The proprietor waddled forward to sweep away the reserved sign off the favoured table (in the back but still with a bit of a view through the window) before turning to return the bow that his most esteemed customer was already bestowing. With a frown on his caramel coloured face he surveyed the cane that the taller man was leaning on but quickly realized that the walking device was a precaution today and not a necessity.

'Salam and Marhaban1' the owner greeted him genially and he bent his ear to hear the agent's gentle 'Assalamu Alaikom2' in return.

Mr. Calendar clapped his hands jovially, as he could see that today was one of the 'good days' for his young policeman friend despite the presence of the dreadful cane.

On the very first day that he had opened his corner coffee shop specializing in imported teas and coffees, the young man had been one of his first customers and now, seven years later, the lean profiler still made the pilgrimage everyday, rain or shine to spend an hour with them. He wasn't there everyday as his work took him to the far reaches of the great nation, searching for truly disturbed individuals. However, that would be one week or two weeks at most, and then he would be back, smiling shyly at the enthusiastic waitresses and peering around into the backroom to see if he had missed any new caffeine related imports.

As he relayed the agent's dinner order to the cook, he stood and chatted with Dr. Reid for a few minutes about the book of poetry he had lent him. The young man was most animated today, waving his long fingers as he described an interlude with one of his co- workers with whom he had shared a poignant, poetic moment with, earlier in the day.

With reluctance, he had moved away then to see to the dinner crowd that was now streaming in but when Mr. Calendar had chance to look again, Dr. Reid was bent over his table busily scratching away at his letter for the day. Many a female heart beat curiously to know which person warranted such attention from the mysterious and soulfully, beautiful young man. Surely it was a woman, and what a special woman she must be to receive a handwritten note everyday. Intrigued eyes absorbed the expensive paper being used as he painstakingly penned at least two pages before being satisfied enough to pop into the equally beautiful designed envelope. Today he even enclosed three pressed flower, much to the delight of the female diners who stole glances at him as he stared out the window. Mr. Calendar on observing the attention of these curious young ladies, surreptitiously removed the extra seat at the doctor's table to ensure the man his treasured privacy.

Over the years the young doctor (academic not medical), had quietly suggested improvements to the business; computers, diversified menu, themed evenings and free samples. All these ideas had saved the café in the troubled times that came suddenly and as such the young man was now an important fixture in the Calendar family. When Mr. Calendar's mother in law had passed away two years ago, the painfully shy young man had bravely stepped forward to manage the coffee house that week, even waiting tables on the busy evenings. No son could have been more attentive or thoughtful as he assisted the bereaved family to navigate the legalities of flying the body home to their native Egypt for burial.

Mr. Calendar's eyes softened as he saw the peaceful look on the boy's face and he had high hopes that it was a pleasant memory that occupied his thoughts this evening. Regrettably, it was not always so. Sometimes, the young man would stumble into the café almost blindly and sit with his body hunched as if the world was on his slim shoulders. It was on those days that Mr. Calendar would serve the young man himself, quietly squeezing his arm in support as he wrestled with demons that would not let go. However, nothing had been as bad as the time he had disappeared completely for a month. So fearful had the Calendar family become that they began scouring the obituaries, worried that something truly dreadful had happened. It was only when they had put their collective concerns on the table did they really comprehend how little the man had revealed about himself, always listening but never really speaking.

After a few more days of agonized waiting and worrying, the Calendars had hung up a 'Closed for the day' sign and the patriarch took a cab to the city. Clutching an Arabic-English dictionary to his chest and a note paper printed with the name Dr. Spencer Reid, Behavioral Analysis Unit he had approached one of the Federal offices determined to find out what he could about his missing friend. The guards had looked at him suspiciously and got together to mutter in menacingly little groups, but he straighten himself to his full four feet, eleven inches staring haughtily at them all.

He had waited for over an hour in the chilly, institutionally structured office while an attempt was made to locate the agent. All of a sudden a lot of things happened at once when three men had swept him into a windowless room. The darker, muscular one had taken point and pressed him on his association with Dr. Reid. Upon understanding the young doctor was still alive; Mr. Calendar released the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. This seemed to have made some impression as the grim officer in the suit exchanged a look with his more casually dressed associate. Some silent communication had passed between the two as the red tied individual dragged his protesting black companion out the door, leaving him alone with the third.

This one had a twinkle in his eye but the astute coffee owner was not fooled. He bowed low during the introductions.

Gideon, strong warrior, was aptly named.

Since Calendar had nothing to hide he spoke in glowing terms of his friendship with the young profiler while the agent listened in attentive silence. Tentatively he had requested a message be passed on to the absent young man and the older one had assured him that it was unnecessary, as the young doctor would make an appearance tonight. After the obliging gentleman had given him a lift back to his shop, the Calendars had reopened the shop joyfully, preparing all the young man's favourites in anticipation of the happy reunion.

They had celebrated too soon.

The person they longed to see did come in, leaning on the strong arm of his BAU colleague, but time had wrought a heart stopping change on his thin body. Mr. Calendar stared in horror as no trace of the boy he knew could be found in the grim faced man seated before him. The young doctor's clothes practically swam on his skeletal frame and prominent cheek bones stood out in stark relief on his face, looking almost painful to the touch. His eyes were wide and feverish and a sweat clung to his brow and matted his hair. He met no one's gaze, choosing instead to study the patterns of the table cloth. Gently Gideon had placed a pen and paper before the young man. Then the older man opened a book, reading aloud to keep his associate entertained, as he struggled to write a few lines before giving up on the effort entirely.

The immigrant shop owner didn't need to be told what was the strange sickness afflicting their favourite officer of the law. He had seen too many members of his large extended family under the cruel grip of the dreaded opium, unable or unwilling to break free of its fearsome power. As the young man dashed to the washroom to throw up what little food he had managed to eat, the Calendars wondered what had happened to bring this gentle soul of humanity to this low point. Everyday, the duo came. Sometimes the young doctor walked in quietly and other times Gideon manhandled his skittish colleague through the front door. The Calendars joined quietly in the intense struggle providing coffee and strengthening broths for days on end and slowly the strong, brave man they knew returned and Gideon came no more.

The kitchen door slammed open as the cook himself came out to place his newest creation infront of his special diner. Reid and the cook seemed to have struck up a love hate relationship, trading colorful insults and sarcastic barbs with ease. The young doctor could always be counted on to give useful albeit dry and witty comments on the food and everyone smiled as he dug into the meal with great gusto. The cook laughed heartily as Reid hurriedly downed a glass of milk, as his eyes watered and he coughed at the spice present in the dish.

Mr. Calendar just shook his head as he pulled out a chair for one of his guests, wisely looking in the other direction. Today was one of the good days and for that he was grateful, but why worry? Tomorrow was in the hands of only HE.

**1 ****Hello and Welcome**

**2 ****Good evening**

**Author's note: Happy New Year and best wishes to you all!**


	5. Come stay awhile with me

**Oh dear, oh dear. Thank you for the wonderful reviews everyone. I must say that there was something special about the last chapter because I did pour a lot of myself into it without even being aware. I actually had to take a nap afterwards because I was so tired and it is gratifying to feel your positive response to my efforts. I doubt that this chapter could even compare but I will do my best. **

**Chapter 5- Come stay awhile with me**

Dr. Spencer Reid propped a thin hip on to a convenient street light as he opened his tote bag. He shuffled the contents around more evenly as they had all slid to one end, banging uncomfortably against his thigh. The rich smells made his mouth water all over again. The young profiler had taken home a serious haul tonight, and between his leftovers and some treats from the kitchen he would have enough for lunch tomorrow and then some. But the real clincher had been the free double samples of the new coffees that had just come in to the shop. He couldn't wait to give the extra stash to Garcia as she was the only member of the team, adventurous enough to try the new flavours.

Just as he was arranging his canvas bag more securely around his neck, a familiar SUV drove pass. The young doctor looked up just in time to catch a glimpse of corn silk yellow before the vehicle turned a corner.

JJ.

He quickly unhooked his cane from his elbow and brought into play as he hurried forward, eager to cover the distance between himself and her. No one else lived in this neighbourhood so it only stood to reason that she was coming to see him. As he hobbled down a shortcut between two houses and across Mr. Perry's yard, he whipped out his cell phone to check for messages. The tiny screen shone brightly in the quickly falling darkness. He was correct in his initial assumption that he had no missed calls or unread messages, so this visit was probably not about work. There was also no special emergency as the young Agent Jareau had driven sedately by. A personal visit then, perhaps even involving his godson, he thought excitedly. Oh god, did he have anything decent to serve in his cupboard? Well he had coffee at least.

Slightly out of breath now he gained his street and raised his hand to wave to JJ and Will who were already knocking on his door. Suddenly he noticed his bag of food dangling on his arm and after dithering a moment he jumped into some nearby bushes that flanked his porch. All he knew was that he wanted to prevent JJ from seeing his neatly packed leftovers. He didn't want her to know that he went out to buy food instead of cooking for himself. He knew her, she would fuss and then she would tell Emily and Penelope and then they would fuss. It's not that he couldn't cook. After all, he had been feeding himself and his ailing mom since he was twelve and as a result he could whip up a tuna salad sandwich in a twinkling. There was just something a bit depressing about cooking for one all the time.

'Reid?' a familiar soft voice called to him and with a deer in the headlights look, he whipped around quickly to face the searcher.

Agent Jareau stood with her feet slightly apart and knees bent, with arms outstretched for balance as she had rounded the quivering bush. Most women would not have approached such a suspicious noise but then again, she was no ordinary woman. To compliment this warrior princess attitude, she wore the curtained waterfall of her blonde hair open and it fell freely over the shoulders of her floor length, wine coloured dress.

'Wow' the bemused agent stammered out, brushing his long hair out his eyes, 'you look beautiful!'

Confused, she placed her hands on her hips and beckoned him to come forward, 'Thank you, what are you doing in there?'

'Me?' he hedged slowly, 'I was just coming in from a walk'

She glanced curiously at the canvas bag, swinging from a low tree branch.

'Well I can see that. So what now? You were going in the bushes to hide your food?' she joked a broad grin on her face as she plucked some leaves from his hair, 'are you part chipmunk, Spence?'

She expected him to smile back or at least push her playfully. Instead he looked away a sure sign he was hiding something.

'Hey' she whispered softly, grasping his shoulder in some concern as he retrieved the bag.

He gave her collarbone a brittle high voltage smile as he stared at her jeweled necklace, 'JJ, these are fantastic!'

Agent Jareau wasn't a trained profiler like him but she was not a fool. She knew when someone was changing the topic. The anxious young woman wouldn't press at this juncture but she filed the incident away to share with Morgan the next morning. The dark profiler knew their resident genius better than anyone in their little group. Reid would be angry, but she would take no chances with her precious friend. A person of his quality was rarer than all the rubies in the LaMontagne heirloom on her chest.

'Are these real Burmese rubies? It must be, look at the natural fluorescence and the silk inclusions' he muttered excitedly.

She had to bite the inside of her cheek as the doctor reached out to gently caress the precious stones. She grinned tightly in amused exasperation as she felt the warmth of his fingers over the swell of her left breast. If it had been any other man she would have already hiked up her dress and nailed their sorry ass to a wall with a well placed kick. But this was her Reid who didn't have a lascivious bone in his body. On a daily basis the diminutive communications officer would be the voice he didn't have, when he stumbled straight into whatever social faux pas was lurking around the corner. She bodily placed herself infront of him, whenever he inadvertently insulted witnesses with his truthful but blunt remarks. Irritated BAU team members and other persons would have to kick her dead body out of the way before they could get to her friend.

Afterward, she tried in private to teach him what he had done wrong, her heart bleeding at his confused and unhappy face. It wasn't his fault that he was so socially awkward. When you looked over the sum total of his youthful experiences so far, it could have been much worse. One wrong decision on his part and Reid easily could have been one of the psychotic Unsubs they faced.

Tonight she had decided to let his little social error slide. She would make the assumption that because he knew, trusted and liked her that he felt comfortable to invade her personal space in such a fashion. As such she would put faith in his natural shyness and innocence to keep him safe in the future. Besides which, if she actually said anything she risked the awful possibility that he might never touch her again.

'Are you alright?' he asked anxiously as he saw a wave of misery pass over her face, 'What's wrong?'

She took his hand in hers and blew a noisy kiss across his palm. As expected he giggled and looped a dangly arm around her as they stepped out of the bushes.

'Hello Spencer' her boyfriend called in greeting as the pair stepped into the light, 'Sorry for not calling in advance. Is this a bad time?'

Reid shook his head emphatically, 'Of course not! Is that my god son I see?'

Carefully baby Henry was transferred from one pair of loving arms to the next. His parents wanted to patronise a new seafood restaurant that had recently opened and was wondering if he would kindly consent to babysit.

Tenderly, Reid curled the little boy against his thin chest staring in wonder at the ten perfect fingers that waved up at him.

'Spence, we will only be ten minutes away' she insisted as her beau opened Reid's front door and carried in the car stroller and baby bag, 'call us if you are having any difficulty'

Father and godfather exchanged amused glances as Henry's mother anxiously circled him like a slightly mad humming bird. The young doctor was about to reassure the woman that it would be fine but instead leaned forward until his forehead was gently touching hers.

'Thank you' he whispered into the silence between them.

She knew him well enough to know that he wasn't thanking her for adjusting his bag strap.

**Please review.**


	6. Come plant some strawberries

**Okay, I am now thoroughly intimidated by all these wonderful reviews. I will do my best to keep the magic going.**

**I don't think anyone got the chipmunk joke I put into Chapter 5 and **_**sallyinthekitchen,**_** Reid's letter in Chapter 4 was for his mother.**

**How about something a little lighter before I bring in another angsty chapter.**

**Chapter 6 –Come plant some strawberries **

'So what do you want to do tonight?' Reid asked his godson as he placed him in the stroller seat and put him up on the kitchen counter.

Henry's dark eyes followed the familiar figure as he stashed his leftovers and baby bottle in the fridge.

'How about a story, huh?' the young man suggested waving a thick heavy tome at the little boy, 'This is was of my mother's favourites'

He had gotten no more than half way down the page when the little boy's eyes began to droop. Reid could have smacked himself on the head as he scooped the baby up in his arms. Already sleepy from the car ride, his godfather's soothing voice had been the finally coup de grace. Some genius he was!

'Hey, you just got here' the doctor pleaded, 'you have to stay and talk to me for a bit. Don't go to sleep Henry, I have something to show you'

Reid dived into his bedroom and opened the closet. With a dramatic flourish he pulled out a magician's cape. Henry's eyes blinked at the pretty purple fabric.

'Hotch hired me to do the entertainment for Jack's birthday party. Look, look...I even got a wand and a hat!' which the excited babysitter immediately plopped unto his head.

Henry's response to these interesting items was to let loose a jaw splitting yawn and wrapping his chubby arms around his most beloved friend he closed his eyes and went to sleep. Reid's smile slid of his face as he realized what had happened. Disappointedly, he replaced his costume and closed the door. He had planned on exhibiting a few of his tricks just to get some much needed practice infront of an audience but Henry was now officially dead to the world.

With a little sigh he pulled out his computer chair and cracked opened his computer. Usually he would take a hot shower now and then review his emails but tonight he would open his emails first while he waited for Henry to wake up or his parents to return, which ever happened first. As his laptop hummed to life, he tried various positions to make himself comfortable. He would not let go of his godson one second earlier than he had to. Breathing deeply, he gently nuzzled the baby's soft skin as he felt Henry's strong heartbeat over his.

As soon as the internet came on line, he sent a message into cyberspace, calling for the boy's godmother. Garcia would be able to drag him out of this funk he had fallen into. Even if she wasn't online which was highly unlikely, the computer technician had an enigmatic sense of when she was needed.

In the meantime, he began accessing his university accounts and opening all his favourite television forums. He had several emails from his PhD supervisor most likely the corrections to his thesis, and _dragonflytwin_ had finally posted to the thread _Startrek vs Starwars vs Stargate, how can you really compare them? _Thank Goodness! The discussion thread was getting entirely out of hand, with people hurling insults around instead of agreeing to disagree. It wasn't easy to muscle about twenty five, hotheaded, arrogant science fiction fans into line, but she did it with ease. He always admired that about her. On more than one occasion he was tempted to send a personal message to tell her that but always pressed delete at the last moment. How would she react to receiving a compliment from a forum member who enjoyed lurking rather than posting? He minimized her post to enjoy later, as Garcia had just popped up on screen.

_Babygirl: hiya studmuffin, come and play with me?_

Everyday she invited him and everyday he would say the same thing.

_Reidspencer: Not today, but thanks for asking._

She was messaging him from inside the latest online game that had caught her fancy. He was just about to tell her about his failures in babysitting when he noticed someone else in the game besides her. He looked at the provocative handle of the unknown player. He knew that after the dreadful events with the Unsub Randall Garner, Penelope only played with people that she knew so most likely this was either Morgan or Kevin. Curiously he expanded the game to see what was happening and was just in time to see the village from the FBI accounting department burst into flames. Immediately, _honeyloverman_ gathered his people to assist the beleaguered town.

_Reidspencer: Hi Morgan, what's going on?_

_Honeyloverman:Can't talk now kid! And don't call me by my real name!_

_Reidspencer: I am not going to call you honeyloverman_

_Babygirl:excuse me, our allies are under attack: more action, less talking _

_Honelyloverman:babygirl stay here and watch our backs, it's probably a diversion. Those bastards from human resources are sneaky._

_Babygirl: I WILL NOT stay behind while my friends are in danger. Move out of my way honeyman, I am in the mood to stomp on some Mother *********_

_Reidspencer: LANGUAGE! _

_Honeyloverman:LANGUAGE!_

By this time Garcia had dashed out the gates, to give Morgan's team some backup with a fire truck that she had picked up on the way. Reid watched in amused horror as several of the accountants died in the blaze.

_Honeyloverman: This is a diversion Reid, I can just feel it! Log on and start planting some strawberries in that field on the right_

_Reidspencer: strawberries?_

_Honeyloverman: We need the points to build some extra defenses. Don't argue with a brother_.

The young profiler rolled his eyes as he logged on. He found it ironic that Morgan had no trouble asking for help in this online reality, when in real life he piloted solo.

To others, planting the field was a very tedious task, but Reid enjoyed being quietly useful as the 'battle' raged furiously further afield. He now clicked on the icon for watering plants and the points gained from the completed activity flashed across the screen. Hmmm…this wasn't so bad, he thought. Suddenly another player logged on and Reid froze as _Arthur _wondered straight down Main Street of their deserted village.

_Reidspencer: Morgan!_

_Honelyloverman:Keep those points coming my man, and don't call me Morgan!!!_

The young doctor eyed the suspicious _Arthur_ as he walked though their pub like he owned the place.

_Reidspencer: Morgan! I think we have some sort of spy in the pub. What should I do?_

Anxiously he waited for a reply and after a minute he realized that no help was forthcoming. He was on his own and the mysterious player was coming in his direction.

_Reidspencer: Don't come any closer! Arthur, are you friend or foe?_

The genius winced at this laughable line but he was nervous. At least he hadn't said, 'halt who goes there!'

To his surprise the interloper stopped in his tracks. In a side window, Reid frantically searched through the available weapons and selected a bazooka from the drop down menu. This made an impact, as the player immediately went into hibernation and the young profiler exhaled noisily in relief.

Wise choice, _Arthur! _


	7. Come let's sit in Berlin

**Chapter 7- Come let's sit in Berlin**

Reid snorted with laughter and as a result sprayed toothpaste foam all over his bathroom mirror. He was busy reading an article on the use of geographic profiling in the latest Forensic magazine, just your typical bit of light reading before going to bed. The review was so alarmingly inaccurate, he couldn't put it down as he washed his face and brushed his teeth.

A tiny tap from his computer caught his attention and he quickly rinsed his mouth and put away the toothbrush. Shoving his glasses on his face, he read the incoming message.

_Cheeruphamlet: What the hell happened? Wasn't there a village over there? Hello…am I in the right game?_

_Reidspencer: Rossi?_

_Cheeruphamlet: Reid? Wait Garcia, said we couldn't use our real names._

_Reidspencer: I'm working on it sir_

_Cheeruphamlet: Reid we are out of the office. You don't have to call me sir. What happened?_

_Reidspencer: The accounting department got attacked and we absorbed them into our city_

_Cheeruphamlet: You have to be kidding me. When did all this happen?_

_Reidspencer: About three hours ago. I wasn't aware you played sir._

_Cheeruphamlet: I was just minding my business when she waylaid me. I am still not even sure what happened. Alright, I am here, now what?_

_Reidspencer: :I was thinking of you earlier. I had Henry with me._

_Cheeruphamlet: What! Why didn't you call me? How is my favourite bundle of drool?_

To anyone else this would seem like a reasonable response for the older profiler but Reid's eyebrow crept northwards in amused surprise. It wasn't too long ago that the young man was convinced that Rossi didn't care for children in general. He had been babysitting Henry one warm Saturday evening, when he heard a screech of tires followed by running footsteps and an insistent hammering on the door.

'Reid, it's me! Can you make it the door?' Rossi had yelled at the top of his lungs

The alarmed doctor had hurried forward with baby Henry in hand. He was not a moment to soon, as the older man had his foot raised with unmistaken intent. They stood there for long moments staring stupidly at each other. After reassuring Dave that he was alright, Rossi whipped out his phone to call Morgan. It would appear that the dark profiler had called him, insisting that their youngest needed immediate backup.

He would be lying if he didn't admit that Rossi's concerned agitation hadn't touched him. Reid could tell that the older man had made a mad dash to his house judging from the fact that he had a running shoe on his left foot and a brown loafer on the right. They hadn't exactly hit it off at their first meeting and it had taken him weeks to stop stammering in his presence. To his credit Rossi hadn't yelled or made snide remarks. He had tolerated his awkward antics with the resigned patience of a gruff mastiff observing an untrained puppy.

Reid wasn't sure what was going on as Dave and Morgan exchanged heated remarks on the phone. He WAS concerned that the man would have a stroke as his face turned an alarming shade of red.

'You thought it would be good for me! Good for me!' he screeched into the device.

Of course all this ill temper was beginning to upset little Henry and he began to fuss fretfully at these loud and upsetting noises. Rossi's eyes bulged as the boy began to cry in earnest.

'What's wrong? Why is it making that sound?' he asked anxiously backing away from the noisy bundle.

Reid had gotten upset in his turn, yelling that Henry was most certainly not an it!

Immediately, the older man raised his hands in a placating gesture as Henry wailed loud enough to damage an ear drum.

'Okay let's not panic. Did you hear me Reid? I said not to panic. Why ARE YOU PANICKING?!!!!'

The three of them would have gone on indefinitely like a bad episode of the Three Stooges, if the young doctor hadn't stuck out his foot and deliberately tripped the other man.

In a flash, the anxious baby sitter had sat in his mother's rocking chair to begin the process of calming down his godson. He glared menacingly at Rossi who had opened his mouth to complain about this unmannerly treatment, and the man wisely subsided without a word. In the meantime, he had crawled to the far end of the porch, as far away from the man and baby as he could manage. Exhausted from his bout of crying, Henry opted to take a nap and he settled down nicely after a few minutes.

Reid nodded forgivingly as the man apologized.

'You are good at this' he had remarked pointing to the now calm baby.

Well he should be after all the lessons at JJ's house and the mock emergency drills she had subjected him to.

Rossi still wouldn't come any closer but he had relaxed to the point where he walked into the house to get something to drink. He had come back out with a bottle of wine he had discovered behind a box of Fruit loops. The young doctor had looked on fascinated by the way the older man had poured the drink, checked for clarity, inhaled deeply before swishing it around his mouth and swallowing.

'Well it's no Chateau Montelena, but it will do' he remarked quietly.

Of course Reid wanted to try it too, and Rossi was now his usual unflappable self as he watched his eager student accidentally inhale the wine up his nose. The evening had passed quickly as the young genius absorbed all that Rossi could remember about viniculture. He piled the man with question after question, soaking up the enchanting descriptions like a starved sponge. As the older man described his travels, Reid felt like he was right there alongside him as he walked the fields of the Napa valley. In that one evening they had sat in sunny plazas in Rome, the colourful streets of Paris and loud, smoky pubs in Berlin.

After about three more glasses of chardonnay, Dave had mellowed out enough to accept the doctor's offer to hold the baby in his arms. Reid hovered anxiously as the transfer was made, correcting his hold and adjusting the neck carefully. Henry was in baby heaven at this new face with scratchy but interesting facial hair to explore. The excited baby farted companionably as the man smiled down at him and from that minute Dave had become a believer.

_Reidspencer: He's doing great! I think he's now starting to talk a little._

_Cheeruphamlet: That's good; I hope you are not trying to teach him any strange words. Alright you WILL tell Garcia I was here when she corners me tomorrow._

_Reidspencer: Maybe you should do something in the game._

_Cheeruphamlet: Boy oh boy…I can't wait to hear this. What do you suggest?_

_Reidspencer: Well if you plant fields of crops, you accumulate points. Look I bought a tractor with mine!_

_Cheeruphamlet: I have never seen a pink tractor before_

_Reidspencer: IT'S PINK?!!!_

_Cheeruphamlet: Yes, it's pink. Oh my god…I can't believe this! Garcia dragged Aaron into the game!_

Reid sat bolt upright as he scanned the perimeter of the village. There was only one other person still online.

_Reidspencer: Who Arthur?_

_Cheeruphamlet: It was a little nickname we had for him back in Seattle, don't ask._

_Reidspencer: I don't think it's him sir. I tried to talk to him earlier and he just switched to idle mode._

_Cheeruphamlet: Hang on let me have a go._

The young doctor propped his chin up on his hand as he waited for a response. He hadn't told anybody about finding Hotch crying in the aisle of the archives this morning. In his opinion, everyone was entitled to a good cry now and then; even he locked himself into a bathroom stall on occasion.

_Cheeruphamlet: No response. My mistake. I'll see you tomorrow then._

As Rossi logged out of the game Reid frowned contemplatively at the flickering avatar of the remaining player.


	8. Come watch some Jeopardy with me

**Unfortunately, we return to the angst now. I am glad you enjoyed the little side trip into online gaming. About two more chapters to go, my gentle readers. Please stay with me till the end.**

Chapter 8- Come watch Jeopardy with me

With a groan of exasperation the young profiler rolled over to lay spread eagle untop his tangled covers. Unfortunately he had crawled into bed still worrying about Hotch and as a result he had not yet fallen asleep. As he stared at the ceiling he thought about sending a text. But it was minutes to eleven and he didn't think the senior agent would be too thrilled by such a gesture especially if he was already asleep. Reid tried to talk himself into a more peaceful frame of mind but still a little niggle of unease had remained.

Giving up he rolled out of bed and grabbing his robe he stuffed his feet into a pair of ratty sneakers. He would just do a drive by and see if the man's lights were on. The young doctor felt that if their eyes could just connect for one moment, he would know if Hotch was alright. With this plan made he stumbled tiredly into his classic VW bug (read rescued from a used car dealer) and motored down the road. Now that he was actually outside Hotch's apartment, he began to have reservations. This was beyond stupid! Hotch was probably sleeping peacefully and he was out here shuffling along in his bath robe like some sort of senile senior citizen.

Curiously he heard the house phone echo in the dark apartment and he hurried forward to press his nose to the downstairs window hoping to see some movement. He strained his eyes to penetrate the gloom and suddenly jumped back as all the lights in the living room flared to life. Heart pumping and arms wind milling wildly the young man shrieked before spectacularly loosing his footing and toppling into a clump of dying rosebushes.

With a heartfelt moan, he shielded his eyes from the glare with one hand as a familiar shape loomed over him, pointing an even more familiar Glock between his eyes.

'Reid?' the dark shadow asked incredulously.

He waved timidly as Hotch pointed his gun to one side away from his colleague's head. The would be rescuer gulped uncomfortably as the older man's face went through the motions of fear, surprise, amazement before finally settling on anger. With one hand Hotch reached out and grabbed him by his neck before dragging him none too gently through the open window.

In a fit of temper, he shook the young boy until he cried out in pain. Bits of leaves and red rose petals showered down in a circle around them.

'Are you crazy?!' was his first question, 'I could have shot you! Don't EVER sneak up on me again!'

With a bone rattling thump he lifted him unto the kitchen counter and immediately Reid grabbed his injured leg with a yelp.

'What's wrong?' the agent now asked in concern when he saw how white the other had become, 'your leg's acting up again?'

The young doctor didn't answer but instead bit his lip and turned his head away as a tear of humiliation rolled down his cheek. Hotch wouldn't yell at Morgan if he was here, but then again Derek would never have found himself in a position like this in the first place. Why did his noble attentions always have to end in such an unprecedented disaster?!

'Here let me have a look' the man asked solicitously, 'Take your pants off'

Hotch immediately went back to being surly as Reid clutched his pajama top close to his neck. You would think he had just asked the boy to run naked through the Bureau.

'Reid, you don't have anything that I don't. Stop being so childish and let me pack some ice on that leg'

The lead agent hurried to get the first aid case stopping for some ice on his way back.

'What's wrong with you, Reid? These are perfectly respectable underwear, lot's of people have Snoopy on their shorts' Hotch teased their youngest as he strapped an ice pack to the troubling muscle.

'Don't look you pervert!' Spencer replied in horror, giving the taller man a useless push to get away from him.

It was then that Hotch caught one of Reid's fine boned hands in his and the man's face darkened as he absorbed the blood and scratches. He went back to being fifteen shades of mad, all over again.

The senior agent kept up a steady angry lecture as he washed and dressed the cuts. In all of this Reid had tried to apologise but stopped as the man hissed over his attempts. Of course the genius profiler was pleased that they had an active neighbourhood watch going but why did they have to call tonight! If only that attentive neighbour hadn't telephoned to warn Hotch that someone was lurking in the bushes, he could have safely been on his way back home by now. He screwed up his face as the sting of the antiseptic cream lanced through his body.

After he had finished, Hotch stood back and looked at him. It was the small aggravated shake of his head that was the final straw. Reid angrily whipped out his phone to call a cab. He didn't have to take this! He had made a mistake and apologized. When Hotch realized what Reid was doing he stepped back as if he had been physically struck.

'You just got here' he commented in confusion, 'and you're leaving?'

As the young doctor waited for someone at the cab company to pick up he answered, 'I came here because I was worried about you and all you can do is yell. I said I was sorry'

They stared hostilely at each other for a long moment and Reid jumped when the cab operator said hello. Hotch didn't know who this strong, fearless man was infront of him. Was he so caught up in his own affairs that he missed how much their resident genius had matured? He saw the determination in his brown eyes as Reid silently demanded the respect and courtesy that was his due.

'Please don't go' the older man mumbled, his shoulder's slumped in defeat. He was ashamed to admit that it was true. He would never have dared to carry on to Morgan and Rossi in such a fashion, but they weren't the ones that were here right now. It was Reid who was here. It was Reid who had recognised how upset he had been this morning. It was Reid who dragged him to sit in the sunlight until he had mastered his conflicted emotions. It was Reid who hobbled over here on a bad leg to check on him and it was Reid here now squeezing his shoulder forgivingly. Hotch had messed up this time.

He sighed silently in relief as the young profiler snapped his phone shut. Now that he had Reid's full and expectant attention his mind blanked. Maybe he should formally apologise for his rudeness. Should he offer him something to eat? Perhaps he could be coaxed to stay the night with his boorish superior, if he ordered a pizza.

'What do you think of Jeopardy?' the young man wanted to know.

Hotch shrugged his shoulders.

'Only that it's the greatest game show ever created' the older man deadpanned.

Reid was pleased that his little idea had worked. Hotch was so busy propping up his leg and fussing about him that he appeared to have forgotten the unfortunate incident of his arrival. They had turned down the volume so as to not wake Jack, who thankfully had slept through the ruckus. Now they were both munching on crackers and sipping sodas while they racked up thousands of dollars. Hotch was giving Reid a run for his money though as now only five thousand dollars separated them. If the older man hadn't missed that last double jeopardy round, Reid thought he might have been in serious danger.

He glanced across at his older friend who was scratching his answer to the latest question on a notepad while simultaneously devouring some potato chips. As far as Hotch went this was as relaxed as a man who had been tortured by fate, would ever be. He looked almost normal, in his bare feet and his FBI sweats as he scowled at the television screen. You wouldn't know that he had been stabbed and left for dead not too long ago.

Reid judged that after the next episode, the man would be receptive enough to perhaps answer a question or two about his present frame of mind. Hotch would never answer a question about his well being truthfully. He would say he was fine even he had been shot. One needed to take an indirect approach, to pry this particular type of information out of the stoic agent. Reid felt a twinge of unease as these thoughts floated easily in his mind. Of course the team desperately tried to stay out of each other's heads, but as Hotch had succinctly put it one day in a particularly heated team meeting, 'they couldn't stop being who they were just because they wished it'

Just then the older man's phone beeped and he pressed the button to access the text message. Reid was astounded by the way Hotch's face creased into a warm, broad smile. The lead agent walked excitedly to his front door and opened it without even looking through the peephole and Emily threw her arms around him like if she was a fast growing vine.

'Oh my giddy aunt' the young man muttered to himself as he slouched down in his chair trying to make himself invisible.

There were many times in the young doctor's life that he had wished that the ground would just open up and swallow him. Never before had the need been so urgent as it appeared that he would be needing that cab after all.

**Anote:Why is Reid calling a cab? Because his leg is hurting him too badly to drive at the moment.**


	9. Come tell me your secret

**Just a little prologue before we begin today's adventures. I have always felt when you look at Reid for the first time, all that you can think is that he needs to be protected. The producers of CMinds disagree and time and time again, we see that our boy can take down an Unsub (maybe not with his fists but he is capable), be the faithful confidante and a strong shoulder to lean on. I agree with their portrayal and that is why in my last couple of chapters, I want to reinforce that he is capable of being the strong team member and even stronger friend when it is needed. So everyone, if you have been labeled as a geek or worse, don't let that stop you from letting your special light shine forth. Reid wouldn't.**

Chapter 9- Come tell me your secret

Even as Emily quietly knelt by his chair, Reid continued to stare at Alex Trebek as if the game show host was on the verge of revealing the meaning of life. Efficiently she raised the melted ice pack and replaced it with a fresh one. His heart sank with the beginning of a commercial, as conversation was now unavoidable.

'Aren't you even going to say hello?' she whispered anxiously.

'Hullo' he replied mournfully flicking his eyes to the left, 'you look nice'

She smiled tentatively puzzled by his strange mood, 'Thank you. I was on a date. Late night showing of North by northwest'

And any other time, he would have jumped on this eagerly and dragged her into a comparative discussion of Hitchcock's classics. However, his heart sank even lower at this revelation. Were she and Hotch in some sort of 'open relationship?' With a shake of his head he skittered away from these thoughts. This was way too much information for his liking as far as he was concerned.

It had all come to a head about a month ago when he had received a text message to meet Garcia in her room. He was also instructed not to tell anyone of her request. The young doctor hadn't thought anything about it at the time as the computer technician was prone to dramatic outbursts. As he approached with coffee mug in hand, he had meet Dave in the corridor and they eyed each other warily when they realized that they were both going in the same direction at the same time. Nothing could have prepared them for the sight of Derek handcuffed to a convenient pipe running along the wall.

'What the hell?' Rossi had asked quite articulately in Reid's opinion as JJ firmly closed the door behind them.

It would appear that Morgan had just been exiting the men's room when he had caught a whisper of a conversation in the nearby ladies room. With a roar of outrage he had slapped the door open, frightening Garcia and JJ out of their wits. Penny had then lured him to her cubicle with the promise of more precise information and once there she had sneakily secured him in the room with his own handcuffs.

'Alright, just tell me. Are they sleeping together?' he rumbled menacingly shaking his cuffed hand in vain.

Annoyed Garcia put her bunched hands on her hips as she glared up at him, 'I don't see how that's anyone's business but their own'

Derek was speechless for a few seconds.

'That son of a bitch, I'm going to kill him!!!' he roared passionately at the little group, 'Rossi get me out of these handcuffs. I have to go smash Hotch's face into a wall'

In Morgan's opinion, Hotch had no right to be messing around with Emily. He just put his ex-wife in the ground, for god's sake.

'She's a pretty woman, it's obvious what Hotch wants from her' he commented callously to no one in particular.

At this Garcia had gasped and then let loose a torrent of abuse, pouring her ire on the dark profiler's head.

'That's not true! You take it back!' she had screamed, pelting him with one of her hair ornaments.

Reid watched as Morgan's eyes glittered angrily as he glared at his best friend. The young profiler had moved to place a comforting hand on Garcia's shoulders as tears of rage poured down her cheeks. JJ hustled around them to hold on to Morgan's arm, lest he was foolish enough to interrupt the distressed woman. Reid wasn't surprised when Garcia finally turned around in his embrace, throwing her arms around him to seek the comfort that Morgan usually gave her.

Everyone had stood in stunned silence at the turn of events.

'See, we don't know even anything for sure and it's already tearing us apart' the black man muttered staring morosely at the ceiling.

Reid glowered at Derek's insensitivity as Penelope began to crying even harder than before. He of all people should know in what light this loving and caring woman viewed the team. Sometimes in the middle of a case Reid had wondered about the chipper tech, always ready to share a suggestive sally, just to put a smile on their weary faces. No one else on the team knew how close they had come to losing their audio beacon except for him. When she had walked into his hospital room as he recovered from Anthrax poisoning, he knew that she had finally been broken. In one hand she had clutched a tiny get well teddy bear and in the other her letter of resignation. Her worse nightmare had come true. She sat alone in her cubicle and listened to what she had believed to be a team member's final words to the world. He still had the teddy bear on his night stand but thankfully the letter had been shredded beyond recognition. Somehow she had found the strength to soldier on and continue her genius, transferring the thoughts and ideas of the seven, seamlessly through time and space. Unwittingly, it was through her electronic vigilance that this contentious relationship had been brought to light.

Rossi stepped forward to take control of the emotionally charged moment. Derek had agreed that it was probably best if he left the building early for the day. JJ would talk to Emily and Dave would make sure Hotch had his head screwed on properly. The rest of them would keep their heads down and their mouths shut. They all agreed that if even a whisper (true or not) reached the she-devil aka Strauss, it could ruin Emily. Well everyone agreed except for Garcia.

As she dried her tears she had looked around disappointedly at them all. Was she the only person who thought that loving a good man like Hotch would be a wonderful chance for her beloved colleague?

With Garcia's question echoing in his head, Reid raised his eyes to meet Emily's concerned gaze.

'How are you feeling?' she inquired worriedly, 'is your leg any better?'

Garcia was right. He knew that Hotch was a good man, and it was no surprise that he had attracted the regard of this special woman. But such a relationship in a high profile team like theirs would not be welcomed. The couple would face tough times ahead with even harder decisions to be made. This strong, courageous woman had already taken one beating in his presence without complaint. Was he really going to stand on the sidelines AGAIN as she faced what would be another difficult fight? Of course not! He smiled brightly at her hoping that she would understand that if nothing else, she had his support.

'Fit as a fiddle. If you could just call me a cab, I'll be going home now' he remarked cheerfully already beginning the difficult task of arising from his comfortable chair.

'What's wrong?' Hotch asked as he handed Emily a glass of wine, 'I thought you were staying the night. Please don't go'

The young doctor sat back down with a confused look.

Pointing unsurely in Emily's direction, 'Nothing's wrong, I just thought uum…you guys know I wouldn't tell anyone'

Hotch seemed to have suddenly caught on and he bristled in annoyance, 'Reid that is a highly inappropriate suggestion'

And with a woman's natural tact she jumped between the two men with a little laugh, 'I am sure Reid is just surprised that you prefer his company to mine, isn't that right?'

She looked between the men meaningfully.

'Why of course' Reid agreed without hesitation, 'I wouldn't if the situation was reversed. No offence intended sir'

'None taken' Hotch replied in a conciliatory tone returning to the kitchen to get Emily something to eat.

As soon as the older man was out of earshot he turned to his female team member.

'What's going on?' he said in a stage whisper.

Truth be told nothing dramatic had happened in the weeks since the big scene in the computer tech's office. Morgan and Garcia were extra polite to each other and Aaron had stopped automatically pairing with Prentiss when they went into the field. Just another happy month in the life of the BAU!

'You don't have to whisper, sweetheart. I am glad that you are here tonight so he wouldn't have to be alone. He seems a bit sad today, don't you think?'

'You don't want to stay?' he asked tentatively.

She didn't answer him as she sadly tucked a wayward stand of hair behind his ear, 'I'll come in the morning and we'll make pancakes, doesn't that sound good?'

They stood staring at each other silently as he absorbed all that she couldn't say. Why did anyone ever think that women were the weaker species? As Hotch came closer, he pulled her into a tight embrace.

'Are you sure? I won't tell' Reid whispered into her ear.

She hugged him fiercely, 'I know'

With eager eyes, he watched as the brunette curled up on the couch with the senior agent and calmly drank her wine and ate her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Reid noticed that Hotch had one hand along the back of the couch obviously enjoying her company, but in his trademark restrained fashion. It was clear that their relationship was in some sort of holding pattern which was a little sad in Reid's opinion. He wouldn't mind if Hotch smiled like how he had before, a little more often. If anyone deserved a break in this life, it was him.

But what the young doctor was most pleased about is that they weren't trying to insult his intelligence by pretending that there wasn't an understanding between them. Emily had not been aware that he was in the room when she threw herself in Hotch's arms. But now that he had seen them together, they had carried on unperturbed by this fact. For some reason, the couple was trusting him with what was most likely career suicide information. In his mind, the young man felt like he was finally sitting at the table with the adults. Irrepressibly, he bounced around excitedly in his chair and the couple smiled at his antics. As Emily bent to kiss him goodnight, Reid resolved not to fail in the faith that they had placed in him


	10. Good night sweet prince

**It is with bitter sweet pleasure that I present the last installment of the '_Come home with me_' series. I must say Reid was a cool guy to hang out with. Thank you everyone who signed up for story alerts. I also can't believe the amount of people who 'favorited' this story. Thank you to all my loyal reviewers especially Momma, dragonflytwin, the vampire act and heyya15965. I never thought that anyone would be interested in my silly daydreams.**

Chapter 10- Good night sweet prince

Reid had shared a hotel room with Hotch before but tonight he felt like an intruder inside the man's richly appointed bedroom. His eyes darted around trying to memorise all the expensive carpet, abstract paintings and beautifully carved wooden furniture.

'You know I really don't mind sleeping on the couch' he began a bit tentatively as he shuffled the cards with his nimble fingers.

'I know you don't mind but I do' Hotch replied as he watched his young colleague deal the cards with all the panache of a seasoned Las Vegas dealer, 'neither of us can sleep on that hard sofa and expect to walk in the morning'

They both studied their hands, exchanging and dropping cards unto the bedspread as appropriate.

'And we don't have to sleep with the stupid night light on if you don't want to' Reid blustered bravely.

The lead agent knew that the young man was actually quite embarrassed by this childlike fear, so he wasn't about to say that Jack always slept with one and as such he was use to it.

'Actually, I find having Sponge Bob's shadow on the wall to be quite comforting' Hotch replied distractedly as he realized that he had a lousy hand AGAIN.

If Reid hadn't been so sleepy, he would never have been caught cheating so early in the game. As it was he was only able to win two IOUs and a large box of Oreo cookies before the senior officer had called him out. Needless to say Hotch was not amused.

A few minutes later, the older man cracked one eye open as he felt someone staring at him. Sure enough Reid was curled on his side with his arms around an extra pillow watching him.

'What?'

'Nothing'

'Reid close your eyes and try and get some sleep'

All was quiet for a minute until Hotch heard the rustle of the bedclothes again.

'Reid, what's going on? I can hear that big brain of yours all the way over here' he mumbled irritably.

'I was just wondering if I could talk to you a little' the young profiler admitted quietly.

Hotch frowned heavily, 'Reid your hesitation displeases me. There is nothing you cannot say or ask me, at any time of the day or night. I know I am not the … "coolest" person to be around but I am …I am very happy that you are here'

At this open invitation Reid popped up from under cover and carefully sat cross legged on the bed. Hotch stacked his hands under his head and closed his eyes, resigned to the upcoming interrogation.

He WAS very grateful that the boy was here. When you were around Reid you couldn't help but feel lighter somehow. Well at least when you were not in the office and he was quoting all sorts of morbid statistics at you. Spencer had saved him from another night of staring vacantly at the ceiling wondering which nightmare he was going to have when he finally managed to fall asleep.

'Did someone upset you this morning when I found you in the archives?'

He exhaled heavily. He didn't want to answer these questions but the young man had earned the right and had the thorny scratches on his hands to prove it.

'It was an anniversary of sorts for Haley and I' he revealed vaguely, 'a memory that won't let go I suppose'

Reid shook his head compassionately. That he understood.

'Are you and Emily sleeping together?'

Hotch eyes popped open at that bald question. He had thought his friend would want some clarification on what he had observed tonight but really! After a moment, he cut his eyes suspiciously to the man next to him.

'You didn't actually expect me to answer that, so why did you ask?' the senior agent inquired curiously.

'Hotch, are you profiling me?

'Reid, are YOU profiling ME?

At this the young man lay back down and beat his pillow into a more comfortable shape, 'I thought I was your friend before I was profiler, sorry. Good night'

Hotch arched an eyebrow in annoyance. The boy was good.

'Reid, she knows I care about her and I know she cares about me. It's a good place to be in. It would be audacious of me to want more'

The doctor's long fingers traced the pattern in the sheets as he thought about that. Contrary to what women thought in general, men craved stability as much as they did. Hotch had lost Jack's mother and his position on the team all in quick succession. It was a miracle that the man found the strength within him to put his foot out the door every morning and come to work. He couldn't fault the agent for wanting to take baby steps now. Actually, in the bigger picture it was probably a good thing. Reid wasn't in any hurry for his BAU family to break apart, which might be unavoidable if the relationship got anymore serious.

'She's dating this guy down in Justice' the older man commented dejectedly, closing his eyes again.

'Really?' Reid's ears perked up curiously, 'have you met him?'

Why on earth did he start this train of conversation with the tenacious young man?

'Tax attorney. Mid thirties, I suppose he's handsome enough in this new meterosexual way everyone is talking about'

Reid snorted loudly, 'sounds like a pansy. It won't last'

For some reason, Reid's confident sentiment made Hotch feel incredibly pleased and a slow grin swept across his face. It was good to finally have someone to talk to about all of this. Not only was the young doctor trustworthy, he was also a sensitive and compassionate listener, a fact that the lead agent had registered during his divorce.

Hotch felt the bed dip as Reid tried out another position. The young man was also as twitchy as an insect.

'You don't think that it's a good match? I mean he's not into law enforcement, and he's young and appears to be healthy and they share common interests' the older man confessed worriedly.

Reid heard what his friend was saying with his lips but his head translated the words into, 'Don't you think he's a better choice? He doesn't have a hazardous job sure to get you killed at any moment, plus he is not old and heartbroken like me'

When the young profiler didn't respond Hotch turned his head in concern.

'I love Emily and I don't think she deserves better' the doctor replied firmly, hitching his blanket more securely across his shoulders, 'I think she deserves the best'.

Hotch blinked in surprise. He thought he had Reid's support but now he wasn't sure at all.

'And I know a great little Arabic coffee house you can take her to whenever you are ready to ask her out' he added happily as if pleased to be part of all the excitement.

Hotch was struck speechless with the encouragement the young man was offering him. His affectionate words warmed him inside like no garment ever would. No matter how things finally turned out, the senior agent would find some way of repaying Reid for this unspeakably welcome show of support.

'Reid?' he started uncertainly.

'Hotch you hesitation displeases me and you are welcome' the young man replied cheekily.

'REID!!!?'

'What?'

'Nothing'

'Hotch, close your eyes and try and get some sleep'

'Reid?'

'WHAT!!!'

'That bazooka was completely unnecessary'

For the first time in a long time, the young doctor fell asleep with a smile on his face.

The End


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